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We have seen it with the Marvel Superhero universe. I can remember an interview with Stan Lee in the early 1990s where he was asked when there would be a Spiderman movie. Part of his response was that he wanted to see one, but he wanted it done right, and he knew the project would involve a massive budget involving a lot of graphics, etc. Avatar was a bit of a trend setter in this regard, and the Marvel Universe has done much of the same. The ability of Hollywood to deliver stories that seem far-fetched and corny just years ago, partially because of the imagination involved in those projects, has come together.

So when you get a universe like Planet of the Apes, which has something to say, is good entertainment, is an incredibly imaginative place for fans to visit, and the project is GOOD...you have a powerful equation for success. The movie is well worth seeing and does a fabulous job telling its story. It should continue to do well.

Felix Quinonez: I think this is a great result and I am very happy about it. But on the other hand, it's a somewhat expected result. Given of what we know about how a movie's quality and audience reception impacting the box office performance of its sequel, this is pretty much a textbook result. That being said, I'm really looking forward to seeing this and hope it shows some strong legs.

Max Braden: That's a significant improvement over the first movie's opening weekend, which is always a good sign. Also a good sign: strong audience and critical reviews at the same time (for both movies), which will certainly help sustain the legs of this movie and set up the financial success of a third installment in the series. I know it's not as big as some of the other movie series openers, but I've felt - maybe due to the original movies in the 1960s - that this series has a stronger aura of political message, or is a bit more intellectual than some of the recent big series such as Avengers or X-Men or Transformers. Which is not to say one is better or worse, but that I think Apes has had a slightly more uphill challenge in reaching the same numbers and demographic in audience. That factor improves the look of the weekend tally as well.

David Mumpower: This opening reflects the sort of expansion we witnessed with 22 Jump Street and expected for How to Train Your Dragon 2. As Edwin noted, it is reflective of a group of consumers who were so satisfied with the first film that they anticipated the next one. To the credit of the producers of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, they angled for a franchise rather than a single story. The second (well, latest) movie does not feel forced for that reason. I also believe there is something to the fact that consumers have been desirous of a good action film for over a month now. When Transformers: Age of Extinction failed to scratch that itch, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was boosted by that unmet demand.

Kim Hollis: Not only do I think this is a terrific opening that should lead to solid numbers for the studio both domestically and internationally, but it is a victory for good storytelling and direction. Every time that a “good” movie is rewarded with stellar box office returns, I develop a little bit more hope for the future of cinema.

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